Month: July 2011

Inagh/Kilnamona 0-16 – Clooney/Quin 0-12 at Clooney

THE COMPETITION for two semifinal places from Division 1 became a four horse race on Sunday as Inagh/Kilnamona kept their hopes alive with a four point victory. With two games to play against Tulla and Whitegate, the Combo gave themselves a fighting chance of grabbing one of those spots but will need to win both and hope that others lose in order to guarantee a last four spot.

Still, they will be delighted with victory here considering the list of absentees that included Eamonn Glynn, Conor Tierney, Cathal Lafferty, Tomás Kelly, Eoin and Haulie Vaughan while Clooney/Quin were also without Fergal Lynch, Cathal Egan and Brian Shally to name but a few.

Inagh/Kilnamona took the game to their opponents early on and with Niall and Ger Arthur sharing the scoring duties, they held a 0-9 to 06 half-time lead. That advantage was stretched to eight as the second half developed but there was a late kick in the home side and after reducing the deficit to four, they might have made the climax very nervy for the visitors only for Cillian Duggan’s late 20 metre free to be stopped by goalkeeper Patrick Kelly.

It meant that Inagh/Kilnamona have something tangible to play for this weekend while Clooney/Quin will have to settle for a mid-table finish.

Inagh/ Kilnamona
Patrick Kelly, Milo Keane, Brian Glynn, Dermot Lynch, Ronan O’Looney, David Hegarty, ColmPilkington, Paul O’Looney, Brian Foudy, StephenToomey, Niall Arthur, Damien Lafferty, Cathal Griffin, Dermot Gannon, Ger Arthur

Subs

Johnny Cullinan for Toomey,Alan Mullins for Gannon,TomMcConigley for C. Griffin

Clooney/ Quin
Damien O’Halloran,Tony McMahon, Conor Harrison, Joe O’Loughlin, Donnacha Murphy, Sean Conheady, Shane McNamara, Padraig Ward, Mike McNamara, Seamus Conroy, Enda Harrison, Martin Duggan, Mike Daffy,Adrian Fleming, John Earls

Subs
Cillian Duggan for McMahon, Daire Hannon for Conroy, Ger Leamy for Ward

Man of the Match
Paul O’Looney (Inagh/ Kilnamona) Referee Michael Troy (Broadford)

Newmarket-on-Fergus 6-14 – Crusheen 1-12 at Fr Murphy Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus

NEWMARKET TOOK a leaf out of Galway’s book on Sunday by ruthlessly going for the jugular against table toppers Crusheen. The Blues six goal haul in one hour equalled what the county champions had conceded in their previous seven Clare Cup games combined but more importantly sent out a clear message that they are still very much in the hunt for this year’s prize.

Admittedly, both teams were understrength with Crusheen’s losses of county seniors Pat Vaughan, Cian Dillon and Donal Tuohy significant in the wake of the final scoreline. Still Newmarket, without the influential Barrett brothers themselves, could only beat what was put in front of them and spent little time in carving open Crusheen’s vunerable rearguard.

Two Shane O’Brien points inside the opening 90 seconds were soon cancelled out by Gearoid and Conor O’Donnell. However by the sixth minute, Newmarket made the goalscoring breakthrough when O’Brien was fouled by Tony Meaney on his way to goal and Colin Ryan duly dispatched the 20 metre free to the net.

A second followed in the 14th minute when Ryan’s lineball from the right proved too hot to handle and full-forward Anthony Kilmartin was in the right place to punish from close range. In fact, their purple patch could have yielded further damage only for goalkeeper Briain Dillon who made a double save to deny Colin Ryan another 20 metre free at the end of the opening quarter.

However, the home side took their foot off the gas for the remainder of the half and it allowed Crusheen to sneak back into the game with the aid of Ciaran O’Doherty’s frees, the hardworking Gearoid O’Donnell and substitute Paddy Meaney.

By the 26th minute, three unan- swered points had cut the deficit to five at 2-6 to 0-7 but the turning point of the game came on the 30 minute mark when Ciaran O’Doherty’s penalty was stopped by Newmarket goalkeeper Kieran Devitt.

Had they got that goal, the game might have developed in a different direction but instead, a reinvigorated Newmarket came out firing on the restart and within a minute had a third goal on the board. The move of the match saw what should have been a Crusheen score countered by a Darren O’Connor long delivery that was expertly flicked into the path of the overlapping Darren Duggan by Anthony Kilmartin and the young forward made no mistake.

That suckerpunch was followed up by four Colin Ryan points before Duggan scored his second goal in the 39th minute to stretch their lead to 13. Credit Crusheen for replying immediately as Paddy Meaney found the net but their mini-recovery was ransacked by a brace of Shane O’Brien goals as Newmarket eased alongside their opponents at the summit of Division 1. Their final round game against Sixmilebridge at the weekend, in what is a repeat of last year’s final, will simply be compelling viewing.

Newmarket- on- Fergus
Kieran Devitt, Shane O’Brien Jnr, Stephen Kelly, Padraig Kilmartin, Darren O’Connor, James McInerney, Sean O’Connor (0-1), Colin Ryan (1-8 1-6f), Martin O’Hanlon, Enda Kelly (0-1), Shane O’Brien (2-3), Noel Frawley (0-1), Darren Duggan (2-0),Anthony Kilmartin (1-0),Tommy Griffin

Subs
Neil Ryan for O’Hanlon (34 mins), Niall Enright for Griffin (53 mins), James Liddy for Duggan (57 mins), Martin Frawley for O’Brien Jnr (57 mins)

Crusheen
Briain Dillon, John Brigdale, Cronan Dillon,Alan Brigdale, Shaun Dillon, Ciaran O’Doherty (0-3 2f, 1’65), Cathal Dillon, Gerry O’Grady (0-2 1f),Tony Meaney, Gearoid O’Donnell (0-1), Fergus Kennedy, Jamie Fitzgibbon (0-1f), Conor O’Donnell (0-2), Paddy O’Grady, Darragh O’Doherty

Subs
Paddy Meaney (1-2) for D. O’Doherty (25 mins),AlanTuohy (0-1) for S. Dillon (42 mins), Niall Fitzgibbon for P. O’Grady (45 mins), Conor Hayes for A. Brigdale (49 mins)

Man of the Match
Shane O’Brien Snr (Newmarket- on- Fergus) Referee Ambrose Heagney (Corofin)

Wexford 3-11 – Clare 0-10 at Cusack Park, Ennis

MUCH LIKE their hurling counterparts later that evening, the biggest barrier for Clare to get to the next level at senior camogie championship level is the concession of needless goals. While a ten point defeat to the All-Ireland champions is not at all shameful, it could have and indeed, should have been a lot closer but they leaked soft goals at one end while posing no threat to goal at the other and you don’t need a mathematician to work out that this formula isn’t going to work.

What the final scoreline also doesn’t tell you is the fact that Clare led comfortably by 0-5 to 0-2 by the end of the opening quarter and that Chloe Morey, Claire McMahon and Fiona Lafferty would not look out of place in any side in the country.

Instead of building on that lead however, Clare shot a massive hole in their foot by gifting Wexford a goal in the 18th minute and loaded the gun for a shot at the other foot only seconds later with another preventable goal.

The first came after a high delivery was not dealt with by the Clare defence and Ursula Jacob had the simple task of tapping to the net. While in the next passage of play, Katrina Parrock had a effort for a point kept from going over the bar by goalkeeper Susan Vaughan, only to put it into the path of the waiting Elevyn Quigley who kicked over the line despite suspicions of a square ball.

With that, Clare’s three point lead actually swung to a four poit deficit at 2-3 to 0-5 and the game was all but over as Wexford finally found their feet. Goalkeeper Susan Vaughan made a super double save to deny Parrock and Quigley two minutes later as Clare drifted into panic and by the break, they were fortunate to only be 2-5 to 0-6 in arrears.

The half-time rallying call fell on deaf ears as within three minutes of the restart, Quigley nipped in for her second goal of the game followed by points from Kate Kelly and Parrock to open up a 3-7 to 0-6 advantage.

A lack of scoring forwards didn’t aid Clare’s cause but they did rally through placed balls with Claire McMahon accurately cutting the deficit to seven by the hour mark. In fact, Clare would only score two points from play all afternoon while Wexford showed why they are the AllIreland champions with the last three points to finish the job.

All is not lost for Clare however as they have little time to dwell on the defeat with a trip to Kilkenny this weekend. Learning the lessons of Saturday’s goals are crucial if Clare are to finish the campaign strongly.

Wexford
Mas Darcy (St Martin’s), Claire O’Connor (Rathnure), Catherine O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue), Karen Atkinson (Oulart the Ballagh), Noeleen Lambert (St Martin’s), Mary Leacy (Oulart the Ballagh),Aoife O’Connor (Rathnure), Michelle O’Leary (Rathnure), Josie Dwyer (Ferns St Aidan’s), Kate Kelly (St Ibar’s) (0-2 1f), Una Leacy (Oulart the Ballagh) (0-2), Brid Gordon (Blackwater) (0-1), Katriona Parrock (St Ibar’s) (0-3), Ursula Jacob (Oulart the Ballagh) (1-3 3f), Evelyn Quigley (Rathnure) (2-0)

Subs
Deirdre Codd (Dufry Rovers) for Dwyer (41 mins), Ciara Storey (Oulart the Ballagh) for C. O’Connor (41 mins), Lenny Holohan (Rathnure) for Gordon (41 mins), Fiona Kavanagh (Bunclody) for U. Leacy (56 mins)

Clare
SusanVaughan (Ogonnelloe), Helen McMahon (Kilmaley), Siobhan Lafferty (Inagh), Aimee McInerney (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Ruth Kaiser Newmarket-on-Fergus), Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge), Roisin McMahon (Newmarketon-Fergus), Kate Lynch (Kilkishen),Aisling Hannon (Clooney/Quin), Sinead O’Loughlin (Inagh), Deirdre Murphy (Clooney/Quin) (0-1), Claire McMahon (Kilmaley) (0-9 7f, 1’65), Shonagh Enright (Kilmaley), Fiona Lafferty (Inagh), Sharon McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus)

Subs
Patricia O’Loughlin (Inagh) for S. O’Loughlin (41 mins), Maire McGrath (Sixmilebridge) for McInerney (41 mins), Naomi Carroll (Sixmilebridge) for Hannon (41 mins), Mary Roseingrave (Crusheen) for Enright (55 mins), Aiveen O’Shea (Sixmilebridge) for S. McMahon (58 mins)

Player of the Game
Katriona Parrock (Wexford) Referee Karl O’Brien (Dublin)

ENNIS man Keith Whyte will represent Ireland in the ultra running world trail championships in Connemara on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Ennis Track Club athlete is the only Clare representative on the six-member team, which will compete in the 70K event that covers road, forest and mountains.

Keith, who only took up running four years ago, made his debut on the Irish team in March, when he ran 100K. He secured the qualifying time in that race for the World 100K Championships which will take place in Holland in September. “That will be the road championships. They asked me to take part in this one as well. This will be the first time the team trail championships are taking place in Connemara,” Keith told The Clare People .

He is looking forward to taking on the arduous challenge, which will take him between six and eight hours to complete.

“There will be a lot of mountains and a lot of climbing. Elevation will reach 2, 500 feet. Road racing is my thing, but this is a chance to run with the best trail runners in the world. Every continent will be represented with runners from more than 20 countries,” he said.

“I can’t wait. It’s a chance to represent your country. This will be my first world championships,” he added.

Keith has had a busy few months. He won the Kildare marathon in a time of 2 hours 40 minutes earlier this year, and also won the 50k trail run in Kildare in February. “I won that and it took off from there. I’m loving it. It’s great when you get to represent your country,” he said.

Cratloe 0-8 – Clondegad 1-3 at Gurteen

CRATLOE MADE heavy work of seeing off a stubborn Clondegad side but yet in what was a truly bizarre game, the south east Clare side might have been out of sight by the final whistle. Such was the reality of this unique quarter-final tie that saw Cratloe produced 31 scoring chances, including six clear goal opportunities, strike the woodwork seven times and only score eight points. Still Clondegad will legitimately feel that they could have snatched victory, led by County Under 21 captain Podge McMahon who almost snatched a dramatic late goal that would have earned at least a draw.

Clondegad will also point to the fact that they were without the services of county minor hurlers Tony Kelly and Gearoid O’Connell for this knock-out tie, as outside of Eoghan Donnellan, McMahon had to take on the majority of the attacking repsonsibilities himself.

Cratloe, on the other hand, were boosted by the addition of their county senior hurlers, Conor McGrath, Cathal McInerney and Liam Markham, and unquestionably Cratloe were the team on the ascendency for the majority of this tie, without ever making the game safe for themselves.

It took 11 minutes for the game’s opening score through Dean Deloughery and it should have opened the door for a flurry of scores. However, Joseph O’Connor hit the crossbar with a close range effort, Cathal McInerney kicked five wides including another goal chance before Conor McGrath scored only their second point in the 23rd minute to cancel out Podge McMahon’s superb equaliser.

By now, Cratloe were playing a two man full-forward line of McGrath and McInerney but through some stern defending, Clondegad only conceded two points for the remainder of the half, both from the foot of McInerney to hold a 0-4 to 0-1 interval lead.

The second half saw the introduction of Pa Sheehan for Cratloe but his luck in front of the posts fared no better as twice his goalbound shots were denied by goalkeeper Declan O’Loughlin. In fact, while Cratloe kicked four wides and another six efforts into the arms of O’Loughlin, Clondegad realised that the game was there for the taking if they could get their act together up front.

So when Podge McMahon kicked a 50 metre point in the 38th minute and followed up Cathal McInerney’s reply with a 43rd minute goal after a flowing move involving Eoghan Donnellan and Liam Meaney, suddenly the sides were level.

Cratloe needed leadership and they got it through Padraic Collins who took Liam Markham’s crossfield pass and bobbed and weaved himself into a scoring position. He followed up by starting the move for Joseph O’Connor’s 48th minute point while seven minutes later Cathal McInerney restored their three point advantage.

There was still a doubt about the result up until the final whistle as Podge McMahon created a great scoring chance but blasted his shot just over the crossbar and Cratloe breathed a huge sigh of relief as they stumbled into a semi-final meeting with last year’s finalists Lissycasey.

Cratloe
Jamie Joyce, Gerry Cooney, Sean Hynan, Wesley Deloughery, Patrick Carey, LiamMarkham, Enda Boyce, Conor Ryan, Shane Golden, Kane O’Shea, Padraic Collins (0-1), Dean Deloughery (0-1), Cathal McInerney (0-4 2f), Joseph O’Connor (0-1), Conor McGrath (0-1)

Subs
Pa Sheehan for DDeloughery (HT), Dean Deloughery for O’Shea (51 mins)

Clondegad
Declan O’Loughlin, Conor Gavin, Brian Murphy, Cormac Ryan, Joe Neylon, Declan Keane, Paul Flanagan, James Murphy, David Sheehan, Stephen Enright, Padraig McMahon (1-3), Shane Harkin, Padraig Glynn, Eoghan Donnellan, LiamMeaney

Subs
Eoin Glynn for P Glynn (16 mins), Kieran McCarthy for Sheehan (33 mins, inj)

Man of the Match
Padraic Collins (Cratloe) Referee Michael Rock (Ennistymon)

TWO legends of Irish soccer will lead the FAI invasion of Clare next week.

Ray Houghton and John Aldridge will be among the guests of honour for the FAI Festival of Football and Agm, which kicks off in Clare on July 11. FAI Chief Executive Officer, John Delaney, who has strong Clare connections, FAI President Paddy McCaul, Ireland Under 21 manager Noel King and Ireland women’s senior manager, Sue Ronan will also be touring the banner county as part of the week long celebration of the beautiful game.

Ireland manager Giovanni Trappattoni and his assistant Marco Tardelli are expected to visit the Cliffs of Moher during the festival, while coaching clinics and tournaments will take place across the county while € 100,000 in grants will be available to clubs in Clare.

Clare FAI Delegate and former league chairman, Jim Madden has described the occasion as “the biggest sports event to take place in the county this year.”

Events including soccer schools, coaching clinics and football fun days will take place at over 20 venues throughout the county.

The event runs from July 11-16 with 300 delegates expected to attend the FAI Agm at the West County Hotel beginning on Friday July 15. The festival culminates on Thursday July 14 with a Civic Reception hosted by Ennis Town Council at Glór.

FAI boss Delaney has said that the aim of the event is to ensure a closer connection between the FAI and grass roots football. Speaking at the festival’s launch in May, Michael Guilfoyle of the Clare Schoolboys Soccer League (CSSL), paid tribute to the work of former Munster Council and Clare League Chairman, Michael Leahy, whom he said had done a lot of the “ground work” for the Clare bid.

The festival will round off in Tulla on Saturday, July 16, with an FAI workshop on player development (10am). Later that day the association’s acclaimed emerging talent programme will be in Tulla (3pm).

THE great work being done at grassroots level in Clare will be highlighted when former Irish internationals and senior Football Association of Ireland (FAI) officials visit the county next week.

20 clubs from across Clare are on the itinerary for the visit which will see the spotlight fixed on the huge popularity of schoolboy/girls soccer in the banner. Football fun days will take place in Kilrush (July 12, 2pm to 5pm), Scariff (July 13, 2pm to 5pm), Lahinch (July 14, 2pm to 5pm) while summer schools will take place at Lees Road Ennis (July 11, 10am to 3pm), Newmarket (July 11, 10am to 3pm) and Shannon Hibs (July 11, 10am-3pm). Also on July 11, Corofin Harps will host a soccer blitz while Moher Celtic will host a 5-a-side competition in Liscannor. The official opening of community facilities at Lisdoonvarna will also take place next Monday (4.30pm) while Sporting Ennistymon will host a football blitz at 7pm.

On Tuesday, July 12, Lees road will be the venue for a Special Olympics football blitz organised by the FAI in conjunction with the Clare Sports Partnership.

Tuesday will also be a landmark day for Lifford AFC with the celebration of the club’s 50th anniversary. The occasion will be marked by a 5-aside football tournament (11.30am) and the planting of a commemorative tree at Lifford’s home ground, Cassidy Park.

Later that day, the FAI festival of soccer comes to east Clare. Sixmile- bridge will be the venue for an under age blitz and skills competition (5.45pm) while the official opening of Tulla United’s astro turf pitch at the Cragg will take place 7.15pm.

FAI summer soccer schools continued throughout the county on Wednesday with aspiring coaches urged to take part in the kick start one coaching education course at Lees Road, starting at 10am.

There will be events at Bunratty’s Woulfe Park (11.50am) and Kilmaley Fern Celtic’s home ground in Tiermaclane at 12.45pm.

The emergence and success of clubs in west Clare will be recognised later that evening with visits to Gallery Park, Kilrush (4pm), West Clare United and Kildysart Celtic at Kilkee astro turf (4.45pm) and St Pats in Kilmihil at 6.20pm.

Clare’s biggest club, Avenue United, will host an underage blitz at Lees Road on Thursday (11am). All kids, coaches and committee members affiliated to Ennis Town are asked to be at Ennis Rugby Club by 1pm for the club’s soccer camp

Shannon Olympic will host a soccer sisters event from 2pm to 5pm. FAI dignatories expected to attend include FAI CEO John Delaney, former players Ray and John Aldridge and FAI President John McCaul.

Connolly Celtic Soccer Club will be the first club in Clare to receive an official visit from the FAI guests, with Chief Executive Officer John Delaney, FAI officials, development officers and coaching staff, as well as football personalities Ray Houghton and John Aldridge amongst the dignitaries on board the FAI tour bus. Connolly Celtic’s FAI club visit is scheduled for Monday, July 11, 10am to 11am at Kilmaley Sports & Leisure Complex.

On that Monday morning, over 130 members of the clubs schoolgirl and schoolboy club, aged 6 to 16, will be participating in a mini soccer blitz event, from 9am to 12pm.

All the clubs trainers, coaches, junior players and parents are invited to attend and assist with providing supervision, coaching, refreshments and support. Lots of fun and excitement is anticipated with photo and autograph opportunities for all.

During the visit, a commemorative plaque will be unveiled by CEO John Delaney to celebrate the FAI visit. A member of the FAI delegation will also draw prize-winners from tickets sold by club members in the weeks preceding the FAI AGM.

A YOUNG Clarecastle fisherman is celebrating today after helping Ireland to the silver medal in the Home Nations Angling Competition in Derry over the weekend.

Joseph Birney did his county and the Lisdoonvarna/Fanore Sea Angling Club proud by helping the Irish team to a very credible finish – loosing out to the eventual winners Wales by the last few fish caught of the last day of the competition.

This was the first time that Joseph has represented his country after a very successful year which saw him represent his club and province with distinction in a number of competitions.

“It has been a great year for me. To get on the Irish team you first have to be named as a master angler for your club, then you have to take on other anglers to get onto the Munster team and once you are there you have to fish off against 20 of Ireland best young angler, five from each provence, to make the national team,” he said.

“This competition only happens once a year and I was very happy to finish second and bring back the silver medal in my first time fishing for Ireland. It’s a great great feeling to be fishing for your county.

“I had a great time anglish this year and I will definitely be back trying to get onto the Munster and Ireland team again next year.”

Meanwhile, Lahinch angler john Keane was the top angler at this weekends Jim Blackwell memorial Competition in Blackhead. John took the overall competition with 132 points and also netted the biggest fish by catching a 11.2 kg conger eel.

Second place in the competition went to Seamus Hayes from Clarecastle with 82 points while Willie Hartley from Galway came third. The best juvenile award was won by Stephen Birney from Clarecastle.

WITH THE ITRA Ennis Tag Summer League passing the half way mark, all matches were fought closer than ever before with the difference between the teams being marginal.

In Division 1, Deep Heat were out for revenge against Lucas’ Legends, who beat them in the last round. Despite Deep Heat being short on players, their female contingent took on the challenge with relish and came out victorious with a win of 18 points to 5, with each female try being worth 4 points.

Tag Her & Try Her were run ragged on the pitch by a speedy MurtysMen and despite MurtysMen leading for a large portion of the match, the experience of Tag Her & Try Her paid off with them taking the match 17 points to 13.

In the highly anticipated meeting of The Try Hards and Scrum N Coke, which saw twins Peter and Mark Johnston as respective captains, The Try Hards looked like they had the game but then in the last 4 minutes Scrum N Coke came back from 14 – 8 down to score two female tries which leveled the scoreline. The game finished with both teams tied on 14 points a-piece.

In Division 2 The Shades had their third straight win of the league defeating DBOCS 17 points to 10. The Shades showed, once again, the importance of getting female tries.

TTM Tryers had their first win of the season in a close encounter with Ennis Randomers, who were also gunning for their first win. TTM Tryers had the passion for the win and came out on top 14 points to 8.

Munstergroup defeated On Wing With Prayer by a very small margin of 21 points to 19 in a game that was fought to the very end. With this setback for On Wing With Prayer, the Division 2 league is now wide open for the taking.

Week 6 Results
Division 1 Deep Heat 18 – 5 Lucas’ Legends Tag Her &Try Her 17 – 13 MurtysMen TheTry Hards 14 – 14 ScrumNCoke

Division 2
The Shades 17 – 10 DBOCS Ennis Randomers 8 – 14 TTMTryers Munstergroup 21 – 19 OnWing With Prayer